Oblivious to love
by Crazi.Neko
Summary: SLASH! TM A poem assignment causes Tommy to really think about his friendship with Merton.... MM,HC,Slash,WAFF


AN: This is my first BWoC story... and it all started when I wrote the poem... Yeah, it's mine too... DON'T TAKE IT! growl  
Anyway, I don't own anything but the plot, the poem... and my eerie fangirl-ish-ness... --;; the rest is well, obviously not mine.

"Merton Dingle," the teacher called out from her desk where she was grading papers.

"Yes?" the Goth asked from the back of the room, near his best friend, Tommy Dawkins. The two were the only ones who looked up at the call.

"I want you to come and read your poem to the class."

"I'd rather not…" Merton said softly.

Tommy gave him a look. Merton _loved_ public speaking. What about the poem changed that?

"Nonsense Mr. Dingle," she said with a smile. "This is an amazing poem! Come and read it before I lower your class participation grade!"

Merton quickly made his way to the front of the class and took the paper from the teacher with a sigh.

Tommy leaned forward with a smile, his friend hadn't let him read the poem. This was weird, because they never kept anything from each other and the Goth had helped the jock with his. The brunette also noticed that his friend's hands were shaking and he seemed generally nervous. Merton had the paper level to his face so Tommy couldn't see his eyes, neither could anyone else really.

Merton took a deep breath before he began reading.

"_A Longing,_

_A Hope,_

_This dreaded pain that fills me…_

_This despair…_

_I wish that I could let you know how I feel,_

_but then I may loose you, _

_And that is something I cannot bare…_

_I wish to run my fingers through your hair_

_I wish to touch my lips to yours_

_I wish that I could take your hand while we walk through school, or anywhere._

_If only you could hold me close and tell me how much you care_

_Your warm breath caressing my ears_

_I wish I could sit in your lap and talk with you_

_I wish that if I'm sad, you could come and wrap your arms around my waist_

_Your thumbs making soothing motions on my hips_

_While you kiss my neck and murmur to me softly…_

_Maybe someday you could lick away my tears…_

_But right now,_

_I'll settle with what I have…_

_Right now, I'll settle for being by your side, _

_By your side, as just friends..."_

The jock allowed the words to sink in. When Merton finished, the class applauded loudly and then the bell rang. Merton fled the room in a flash. Tommy tried to catch him, but he didn't succeed.

After school, Tommy told his coach that he had a lot of homework that he **really** had to get done. The coach had agreed for him to miss this practice to study. He had said something about his captain getting academic suspension wouldn't be at all good for the upcoming game. Tommy had nodded and headed towards the parking lot and just caught Merton before he left. He got into the car and leaned over to look Merton in the face.

"Why, are you avoiding me?" he demanded.

Merton said nothing as he turned the car on and pulled out of the parking lot. He was about to turn towards Tommy's house before the jock spoke up.

"No Merton, we need to talk, you're not going to drop me off at home this time."

"Don't do this to me Tommy, please don't…"

"Damn it Merton! Just take us to the lair, as soon as we talk, I'll leave you the hell alone if that's what you want!" Tommy looked out the side window and Merton headed towards his house. Tommy was too busy trying to control the wolf, that he didn't notice the tears in Merton's eyes.

As soon as they got there, Merton leapt from the car and ran for his room hoping to look the other out but Tommy was on his heels and he saw the yellow rings around the beautiful hazel. "Merton!"

"Fine! Go ahead! Yell at me and tell me how much you hate me in my own room!" Merton yelled at him.

Tommy was taken aback for a moment. "Who said anything about yelling and hating you?"

"Isn't that why you're here?" Merton asked pulling out a paper. "Because of this!"

It was the poem and Tommy took it from Merton's unresisting hands. "Merton… Who, why… I mean…"

"Don't play dumb Tommy, I know you know, and that's why you're mad at me! That's why you never want to speak to me again, and that's exactly why you hate me!" the dark boy screamed as tears streamed down his face and he pointed wildly at the paper the brunette held. Tommy took a step forward but Merton jumped back with yelped, "Don't touch me!"

"Merton… Buddy, please… I'm not mad, I don't hate you…"

"Then what kind of game are you playing?" Merton asked backing up into the wall.

Tommy darted forward with his extra speed and pinned Merton to the wall, with a growl. "Stop, yelling, at, me!" he hissed. Merton's jaw began to tremble, he knew he was pushing too many buttons at the moment. Tommy was about to wolf out, which was NOT good.

Merton looked away from his friend and whispered, "Please Tommy, just leave me alone…" The brunette released his, in no way tight, grip and backed up.

"Fine… Fine… I'll see you at school," Tommy said before leaving. Merton sighed as he heard the door close. When he looked back, he noticed that Tommy had taken the poem. He couldn't hold back anymore he flung himself onto his bed and wept bitterly.

---------------------------------------------------

Lori watched as Tommy was pacing the length of her room. "You're going to leave a hole, wolf boy," she grumbled.

She got a loud growl in return.

"Will you just tell me what's going on?" she asked sounding a mix between angry and bored.

"Merton."

"You mean about that poem he wrote?" she asked. At the clueless look she rolled her eyes at him. "Tommy, everyone heard about it for the most part… You haven't heard any of what they're saying, have you? Wait, let me guess… You know even KNOW!"

"Know what? What are they saying about Merton?" Lori could see the protective instincts in Tommy's eyes. She shook her head slightly.

"Do you know the words?"

"I kinda have it…"

"Then look at it… The way it's written…"

"Like, how? I mean… He just sounds in love…"

"With someone who is stronger than he is… Someone who's _lap_ he could sit on…" she said with a look. Tommy continued to give her a blank stare. "Oh for the love of- Tommy, Merton's GAY!"

---------------------------------------------  
Merton yawned as he walked towards his locker. He of course didn't sleep well… He opened his locker and saw two notes. He took the one on white paper out and unfolded it, expecting something from Tommy, which is why he paled and started to hyperventilate when he read it.

It was a threat. He took a deep breath and put it back into his locker and took the blue one out. This one was from Lori.

_-Merton- _

_I'm really sorry but I let slip to Tommy. I thought he knew, what with the poem and all… I am so sorry Merton!_

_-Lor-_

"Oh Gods!" Merton muttered as he put the note in his pocket.

"Well look. It's the Freak!"

Merton froze. T'n'T. Not what he needed.

"And it looks like no one is here to help him either!" a second voice chimed in.

"Nice day, huh fellas?" the Goth asked shakily.

"Are you trying to come onto us, you fag?"

"What? NO! Not at all!" Merton looked for a way out while trying to talk over the brothers' heads.

"What do you think you're doing!"

Travis and Tim turned to see a VERY pissed Tommy Dawkins. Merton pressed himself to the lockers.

"We were just-"

"Doing something that I need to tell Coach about?" Tommy asked with a growl.

"No!"

"Then leave," Tommy growled, fists forming at his sides. And they did, obviously they didn't want to coach to know. "You okay Merton?" he asked him with a very worried look on his face.

"I'm fine…" he whispered turning back to face his locker.

"Good," the brunette said slipping something in his hand, and a hesitant kiss on the cheek.

Once Merton got to study hall (also known as avoiding lunch and his friends), he opened the envelope from Tommy. Inside was a small card that read '_8:00 tonight. Be there – T_' Behind it was a map. With a red line and an X showing where to be and how to get there.

Merton spent most of his time contemplating what it could be… And why Tommy wanted him there, but mostly it was _'WHY HAD **TOMMY DAWKINS** KISSED **ME**?'_

After a pseudo study hall, he made his way to his next class.

Lori sat next to him. "Hey…"

"Hey."

"Have you talked to Tommy?"

"He stopped T'n'T from pounding me, if that means anything…"

"There's more to that statement."

Merton sighed and mumbled, "He kissed my cheek."

"Really? Cuz when I told him, he went rigid and ran right out… Practically took my door off too…"

"Sorry…"

"Oh, it's okay Merton. I fixed the door. It was just replacing the hinges," she smiled.

Before Merton could answer, the teacher called the class to attention.

--------------------  
Tommy was dancing for joy as he worked. Travis tackled the coach and almost broke his leg, thus canceling practice.

He had set up the tent, set up the inside, loving that it was huge. He was even able to set up candles! If there were careful, they could light most of them.

This **_HAD_** to be perfect!

---------------  
Merton sighed as he walked through the woods. AS he got closer, a faint smell caught his attention. "Jasmine and Roses?" he asked aloud. He didn't think that anyone knew that was his favorite scent.

"You don't like it?" Tommy's voice asked from ahead.

"No, I love it… I didn't know that you knew…"

Tommy blushed a bit. "Lucky guess…"

Merton walked into the clearing and gawked. "Tommy, why did you… how…" Merton trailed off looking around, almost too confused to speak.

"Because I wanted to… I thought it would make you smile…"

Merton turned the brightest smile ever in Tommy's direction. "That's not that hard, Tommy… You should know that!" Merton walked over to Tommy, still smiling up at him. "What's this about Tommy?"

The Goth gasped as the jock pulled him close. "Pain, despair…" he whispered. "What you hid from me Merton! Why did you hide from me? I'd never leave you, you're my best friend!"

"Tommy, don't!" Merton whimpered trying to push himself away.

"Was I wrong Merton?"

"What do you mean?"

"About this," Tommy said pulling the poem from his pocket.

Merton couldn't speak.

"I was wrong… I'm sorry Merton! I was up all night think after Lori said you were, maybe she was wrong, I don't know, but I'm sorry Merton," Tommy rambled out stepping away.

"You did, all of this, for me… Because of my poem?" Merton asked when he found his voice.

"Yes!" Tommy yelled trying to control the wolf who was wanting out to howl, to announce it's pain.

"Because you thought it meant what exactly?"

"Because I thought, it was to me," Tommy whispered sitting on a log by the fire he'd started. He listened to his friend's footsteps, thinking he was leaving. He was shocked when he got a lap-ful of Merton, who was straddling him.

"I could sit on your lap and talk with you, press my lips to yours," he murmured doing so.

A soft growl came from Tommy as he pulled Merton closer.

"Hey, no wolf… Do you think it's a sign?" Merton asked, knowing that Tommy had basically wolfed out with everyone he'd dated since the bite.

"I know it is," Tommy whispered with a smile.

AN: There is a sequel in the works for this story, but I'm working on it, it's not done… no, not done…. No…..


End file.
